urbs, urbis (dat. VRBEI, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 206), f. [Sanscr. vardh-, to make strong; cf. Pers. vard-ana, city], a walled town, a city.
I Lit.
1 In gen.: hi coetus sedem primum certo loco domiciliorum causā constituerunt: quam cum locis manuque sepsissent, ejusmodi conjunctionem tectorum oppidum vel urbem appellaverunt, delubris distinctam spatiisque communibus, Cic. Rep. 1, 26, 41; cf.: post ea qui fiebat orbis, urbis principium, Varr. L. L. 5, § 143 Müll.: urbs dicitur ab orbe, quod antiquae civitates in orbem flebant, id. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 12: interea Aeneas urbem designat aratro, Verg. A. 5, 755 Serv.: veni Syracusas, quod ab eā urbe ... quae tamen urbs, etc., Cic. Phil. 1, 3, 7: certabant urbem Romam Remoramne vocarent, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 85 Vahl.): arce et urbe sum orba, id. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 44 (Trag. v. 114 ib.): urbes magnae et imperiosae, id. Rep. 1, 2, 3: urbs illa praeclara (Syracusae), id. ib. 3, 31, 43: duabus urbibus eversis inimicissimis huic imperio, id. Lael. 3, 11.— Rarely, and mostly poet., with the name of the city in gen.: urbs Patavi, Buthroti, Verg. A. 1, 247; 3, 293: Cassius in oppido Antiochiae cum omni exercitu, Cic. Att. 5, 18, 1.—With adj. prop. : urbs Romana = Roma, Liv. 9, 41, 16; 22, 37, 12; 40, 36, 14; Flor. 1, 13, 21.—Of other cities (rare and post-class.): Lampsacenae urbis salus, Val. Max. 7, 3, ext. 4: in urbe Aquilejensi, Paul. v. S. Ambros. 32: urbs urbium, a metropolis , Flor. 2, 6, 35.—
2 In partic., the city of Rome (like ἄστυ, of Athens): postquam Urbis appellationem, etiamsi nomen proprium non adiceretur, Romam tamen accipi sit receptum, Quint. 6, 3, 103; cf. id. 8, 2, 8; 8, 5, 9: hujus urbis condendae principium profectum a Romulo, Cic. Rep. 2, 2, 4; cf. id. ib. 1, 47, 71; 1, 1, 1; 1, 37, 58: (Caesar) maturat ab urbe proficisci, Caes. B. G. 1, 7: de urbe augendā quid sit promulgatum, non intellexi, Cic. Att. 13, 20, 1: conditor urbis (Romulus), Ov. F. 1, 27: (pater) Dextera sacras jaculatus arces Terruit urbem, Hor. C. 1, 2, 4: minatus urbi vincla, id. Epod. 9, 9; called also urbs aeterna, Amm. 14, 6, 1.— Ad urbem esse, to stop at or near Rome; in publicists’ lang., of returning generals, who had to remain outside of the city till the Senate decreed them the right of entrance; or of provincial magistrates who were preparing for departure to their provinces, Cic. Verr. 1, 15, 45 Ascon.; 2, 2, 6, § 17; Sall. C. 30, 4; Caes. B. C. 6, 1.—
B Transf., as in Engl.
1 The city , for the citizens (rare; cf. civitas): invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam, Verg. A. 2, 265: maesta attonitaque, Juv. 11, 198: bene moratae, Auct. ap. Quint. 8, 6, 24.—
2 The capital city , metropolis (post-class.): si tam vicinum urbi municipium sit, ut, etc., Dig. 39, 2, 4 fin. ; Cod. Th. 14, 1, 3.—*
II Trop.: urbem philosophiae, mihi crede, proditis, dum castella defenditis, i. e. the main point , Cic. Div. 2, 16, 37.